Something To Live For
by Reese-36
Summary: When Hermione is given a chance to share the thoughts of Draco Malfoy, she never expected how it would change her life.
1. Chapter 1

-Something to live for-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Else, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

***

"_Why are you really here?"_

_He sighed, but didn't say anything. He sagged tiredly on the couch and closed his eyes. Over the past few weeks, he looked like he had aged years. His normally pristine clothes were rumpled; his hair was messy, stray strands sticking out everywhere. His beautifully pale skin was sallow; sickly._

"_Well?"_

_His silver eyes finally met mine. I was taken aback by the emptiness I saw there. He looked so… vulnerable. So… human. All of a sudden, I found that I could no longer look into those sorrowful eyes, and I turned to leave the room now permeated with his poignant despair. That was when he replied._

"_It's simple enough to understand."_

_As I turned to look at him, I realized that I no longer faced a spoiled, arrogant brat, but a boy who, under the circumstances, was forced to grow up too fast. I now faced a man. A sad, but beautiful man._

"_I don't want to die."_

_That was the first time I ever talked to him, ever since Snape had brought him to Grimmauld Place. Everyone was skeptical about letting a Death Eater's son join the Order, particularly Harry and Ron, but over time, he proved to all that he was an asset to our cause._

_He braved dangerous missions with determination; infiltrations and espionage. He was a skilled Healer and treated all the injured proficiently and without regard to the exhaustion that came with caring for the wounded. But the pivotal point was when he saved Harry Potter's life._

_They were thrown into a surveillance mission together; Draco, Ron and Harry. They had been spotted; ambushed. And as the Death Eaters surrounded them, he saved Harry from getting cursed from behind, and in turn, received the respect, trust and quiet friendship with the Boy-Who-Lived. _

_The war had been hard on all of us. But we survived. But despite the euphoria that it was finally over, some of us grieved for what was lost. _

_Draco lost a lot. A lot more than any of us put together. His parents were dead, his home, seized by the Ministry. _

"_Malfoy…"_

_He looked up from the letter in his hand, and tossed it into the fire wordlessly._

"_I'm sor –"_

"_He wasn't much of a father. I hated him more than I could possibly hate anything else in my life. But Mother…"_

_Grief made him pause for a moment, his eyes became mirror-like and still. Empty. I had no idea what to say._

"_What about your home? Where will you go now?"_

_He shrugged noncommittally, "They can take it. They can burn it down if they wished. I don't really care."_

_He circled the small room and sat down on the window seat. He let out a tired sigh, "I still have my inheritance. I could afford a place."_

_The conversation ended there. Everyone celebrated that night. But when I scanned the room for his now familiar face, his absence was apparent. At least it was for me. I found him in the house's library, and when I was about to enter, I found myself held back by Harry. He shook his head at me as I questioned him with my eyes._

"_He's been through a lot, Hermione. A lot more than we have. He's lost a lot. Let him grieve for a while."_

_That was the last time I saw him. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone. Disappeared. Like the summer breeze, his presence was something that I searched for…_

***

_Coming back to Hogwarts was like coming home. It felt safe, familiar; comfortable. Feelings I never thought I would be able to feel again. The fall breeze was cool and refreshing for me. It was good to be back. _

_There were not many of us who returned to Hogwarts to finish our education. So few in fact, that this year, there were no seventh-years. Not officially. We were called the Advanced Class. We weren't part of any of the Houses, and we lived in another wing in the castle. Our sole objective in returning was to take the NEWTs. We could also take some of the Special classes that were offered such as Professional Potions or Occupational Charms and Curse Breaking. It was all very interesting and new. It was another adventure. _

***

"Ow…"

Hermione squinted through the pain in her forehead and looked at the high shelf. She sighed, she didn't even get the right book. She looked down at her feet and glared at the offending object lying on her feet. Why did Hogwarts stock their shelves until the ceiling? The thick tome was covered in brown leather and looked about a hundred years old. No wonder it hurt so much when it landed on her face. She thought about going back to her table and getting her wand, but decided against it. It was unproductive; a waste of time. She sighed again and started to reach for the right book.

"Here," An arm obscured her view for a moment, and when she turned her head, she came face to face with his chest. He was so near that the fabric of his crisp white shirt brushed the tip of her nose. Her cheeks suddenly felt very warm. He handed her the book, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Um, thanks, Malfoy."

"No problem."

She watched him walk away.

Despite the perfect appearance and the perfect manners, there was a sadness that hovered about him like a cloud. Sometimes in his eyes there was a longing there that she could not understand. But she wanted to. She wanted to delve deeper into his mysteriousness… maybe there she could find something that would make him more real to her. Her curiosity was bordering on obsession, and she knew it. But having spent those many months with him at Grimmauld Place, she had developed a want to know him, to have an idea of what went through his head. Despite those many months, he remained an enigma.

Hermione glanced at the small corridor where he disappeared. She sighed again. _This has to stop. Soon._ She shook her head, as if willing away anymore thoughts of him and walked back to her table.

***

A/N: What do you guys think so far? I'm still a bit undecided on what course to follow for this, but I'm thinking of a more light-hearted approach. I'm really open to suggestions guys! Please review! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I have a vague idea about how to go about this now, after some thinking. I'm trying to be more descriptive and trying to make my chapters longer, so I hope you guys bear with the long pauses in between chapters.

Thanks to: spannieren, BelovedSaiai, cyn23, fantasia-49, Leonora, , and ReaderforLife who are my first reviewers. A lot of familiar names, so thank you very much for looking up my new fic.

I hope you guys like this one, enjoy! :)

Chapter 2

***

Hermione rushed into the dungeons, her heart beating rapidly, and her breath almost spent due to running. She had woken up late that morning, something that hardly ever happened, and ran all the way from the dormitories to her first class for the day; Advanced Potions. She sighed in relief when she found that class hadn't started yet. She was a bit disappointed though, when she saw that the seats next to her friends were taken, or rather, non-existent. The class sat in pairs, and as she went inside the classroom, her friends grinned sheepishly at her from their table at the back, apologizing. She rolled her eyes at them, but smiled. There were only twelve of them in this class, and only one other student was alone at a table. Hermione groaned inwardly. Of course. It had to be him, the one person she was trying the hardest to avoid. She sighed more out of resignation rather than exasperation. Hogwarts wasn't that big for her to completely avoid his presence. She squared her shoulders and determinedly marched to the front of the classroom and paused beside his table.

He looked up because her shadow was obscuring the text of the book he was reading. Hermione's throat felt tight as he looked up at her. She cleared her throat, "Do you mind if I sit here?" His grey eyes looked up at her, but he said nothing. His gaze seemed to penetrate her, and she shifted uncomfortably in his silence. When she peeked through her hair to gaze at his face, his eyes were twinkling with mischief, and a ghost of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "I don't mind if you do," He finally replied. Hermione felt her face flush as she slid into the seat beside him.

At that exact moment, Professor Snape entered the classroom, and all conversation ceased. Although he wasn't as daunting as he used to be, Snape was still one of those teachers who can keep a class silent just by entering the room. He tapped the chalkboard twice and words began to materialize.

_The Ceterus Presentia Potion_

Hermione took out her book and quickly found the page discussing the potion. She flipped to the instruction s and traced a finger down the page. It was highly complicated potion with a vast number of ingredients that required the most accurate measurements. It was complicated, yes, but not impossible to make, Hermione believed. Snape tapped the board again, and everybody snapped to attention.

"Tomorrow we will start brewing the Ceterus Presentia potion. It is, as you have probably seen in your texts, a highly complicated concoction that even some of the more highly-skilled wizards have yet to master making. But brewed correctly, it is a highly powerful potion."

Snape looked around at his small class and announced, "You will be working with the person seated next to you. Study the fundamentals of the potion and the brewing process. We start tomorrow. You are no longer youngsters, my dear Advanced Class. This year will be different for you. You will be focusing more on independent study than lectures. Your success in the NEWTS will rely more on _your_ actions than the lessons we, your teachers, can give you."

And with Snape sweeping out of the room, his black robes billowing about him, class was dismissed.

***

_The Ceterus Presentia Potion_

_ The Ceterus Presentia potion has a long history, although is not as well-known as other magical concoctions. Created by the druidess Mairin, the potion's intended purpose was to protect Mairin's Muggle lover. _

_When two people drink from the same brew, a temporary connection between the drinkers is created. They are able to feel each other's presence and are aware of the tenor of each other's emotions, particularly when angry, distressed, or in danger…_

Hermione closed her book and groaned. Perfect. It just what she needed, to be _more_ aware of Draco Malfoy than she already was. Frustrated, she picked up her books and headed to the Great Hall for dinner.

All of the members of the Advanced Class sat in one table, and as Hermione entered the Great Hall, she found herself unthinkingly scanning the room for his blonde head. She caught herself and let out an irritated sigh. This was getting ridiculous. Her bad mood was something her friends picked up on immediately.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked her as she sat down opposite him, his eyebrows were furrowed in concern. Ron looked at her, a frown on his normally cheerful face.

"Nothing. I just… I have a headache," she finished lamely. After disregarding their suggestions to see Madam Pomfrey, the three friends settled into their old routine of light banter and conversation as they waited for dinner.

"Hey, Malfoy!"

Hermione looked at Harry in surprise as her friend waved to the blonde to join them. Harry caught her look.

"What? The guy keeps wandering around all alone all the time, Mione."

Ron nodded, "Yeah Mione. If he keeps drifting around by himself, he might get the idea to join the ghosts."

"No I won't, Weasley."

Hermione jumped upon hearing his voice behind her. Harry laughed as Ron choked on his pumpkin juice and patted his friend on the back. Draco sat next to her on the bench and reached for a bread stick. "And I do not drift around. I glide." Harry and Ron chuckled. It was a bit of a surprise for some of the students to see the friendship between the three boys, but eventually, it was something they accepted. Everyone changes. Malfoy included.

Draco glanced at her as he chewed, "Are you alright, Granger? You're all… pink." Hermione cringed inwardly as she felt her face getting warmer, "I'm fine." _Leave me alone_, she wanted to add. She was extremely grateful when the food appeared at that moment and distracted everybody. She breathed a sigh of relief when the boys ceased their chatter and focused on their meal.

***

A/N: How was it? Bit of a filler, I know, but I'm just trying to establish statuses and stuff. (Does that make sense?) Review please, I love knowing what you think! :)


	3. Chapter 3

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm glad you guys like it; I've been quite hesitant to post this fic, especially since I was still all "vague" with its details.

Here's the next one, enjoy! :)

Chapter 3

***

The dungeon was filled with chatter and chaos. Yes, chaos. Everyone was trying their best to finish the potion on time, and nervous about getting it right. Having another person read your thoughts, no matter how temporary freaked people out a bit. Not to mention the tension in the air; Snape had cheerily advised them at the start of the class to be careful about the order in which the ingredients were added because certain elements, when added tended to explode. Nice.

Hermione could feel beads of sweat running down the back of her neck. She tried to convince herself that it was the heat from the cauldron, and not from the extremely close proximity of Draco Malfoy. She was getting angry at herself, being driven to the point of distraction simply because he was near. It unnerved her. She was about to add something to their cauldron when Draco's hand shot out and caught her by the wrist. Her head snapped up to look at him.

"Nightshade, Granger? Do you want to blow us away to kingdom come?"

Hermione looked down at the small packet in her hands. Nightshade. She felt her face flush in embarrassment. She dropped the packet quickly on the table like it bit her.

"Oh, Merlin… I'm sorry… I…"

She froze mid-apology when she felt his fingers brush away the strands of hair that had escaped from her ponytail and framed her face. Her eyes were wide when they met his. "Are you ok, Granger? You look pale."

She needed to get away from those eyes. Hermione slapped his hand away quickly, and dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'm fine." She didn't see the amused smirk on Malfoy's face as he turned back to their potion. "If you say so."

Hermione gritted her teeth in annoyance. Why was she so aware of him?

_Ugh! Get a grip Hermione._

After her mental pep-talk, Hermione turned her attention once more to the task at hand. She focused on not noticing her partner; mainly, not looking at his face and they managed to finish their potion on time, ahead of most of the others. Hermione was biting her lip and going through the instructions again when Draco sat beside her and chuckled, "You worry too much, Granger. It'll be fine."

"I'm actually worrying both ways, if you must know."

"Both ways?"He turned fully to her now, intrigued. She suppressed the urge to look up at his face and focused solely on her book.

"Well, I'm worried about whether we did it right or not. And worried about what would happen if it did."

"Really? I always had the impression that you wanted to know what was going on in my head."

Hermione scoffed and looked at him in irritation, "Wha- what? Why would I want to know that?"

"Why do you stare at me, then?"

Hermione wished the floor would open up and swallow her. She opened her mouth to counter his words, but nothing would come out. Draco rested his chin on his hand, a bemused smirk on his face, looking expectantly at her. "I –"

Thankfully, their conversation was cut short when Snape rapped on the chalkboard and announced that time was up. Most of the class got it right, with the exception of two pairs whose cauldrons now resembled twisted iron flowers. Then, the moment Hermione dreaded came. Snape announced after inspecting their potions that they were to drink it, and experience for themselves the effects of the potion. Hermione stared at the seemingly harmless liquid in her glass and took deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Cheers, partner," Draco clinked their glasses together and drained his glass in one go. Hermione did the same. The potion tasted sickly sweet, like drinking sugar. It was thick and went down Hermione's throat almost painfully. She coughed as she put her glass back down on the table.

_That was disgusting._

"I know. I'm never eating anything with sugar again," Hermione replied, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. She looked up to see Draco staring at her, his eyes wide. She wiped her mouth again in response to his stare, thinking there was something on her face, "What?"

"How did –"He started to reply, and then shut his mouth.

_Do you hear me?_

Hermione gasped in shock.

_I can hear you…_

Draco let out a jubilant laugh. _It works!_

***

Hermione found out that the mind reading wasn't as simple as it sounded in the textbook. She could only hear the thoughts Draco wanted to share; and she found out that his thoughts tended to be private. Her thoughts on the other hand, were so easily read by Draco. This frustrated her to no end, and had asked Harry about it.

"It's just your personality, Mione. You've always been so honest and open about things. Your emotions spill out of you the moment you feel them. Draco is… well, not like you."

Asking Harry didn't help. Finding out that the rest of the class' potions were wearing off and theirs wasn't also didn't help.

_What? How come we can still hear each other then? I knew it! We must have done something wrong!_

_Granger, stop panicking. You're shouting in my head. It's giving me a migraine. Relax._

_Relax? I can't relax knowing I could be sharing my thoughts with you for the rest of my life!_

There was quite a pause before Draco's mental voice replied to her. Hermione felt wisps of anger together with his words.

_I asked Snape, and he said our potion might have been just more potent than the others. It would probably take several weeks before the effects wear off._

_Oh._

_My apologies for prolonging your suffering, I didn't consider that you might find sharing your thoughts with me so repellant._

She had tried to apologize to him many times after that short conversation. But he was nowhere to be found and his mental voice no longer entered her thoughts. After three days had gone by, Hermione thought that the potion had finally worn off, but was suddenly alarmed when sudden pain shot through her body as she was walking from the library.

_Oww…_

_Draco?_

Hermione turned around and started to run. She didn't know where she was going, but she felt as if her very own feet were guiding her in the right direction. She slowed down when she found herself in the dormitory wing. She finally realized where Draco was and ran towards his rooms. When she entered, she found him lying on the floor pinned beneath a large bookcase.

"Merlin! Are you okay?" she exclaimed as she rushed to his side. She fluttered around not knowing what to do.

_For the love of – Granger, are you a witch or not? Use your wand! I can't breathe._

_My wand. Right._

"Wingardium leviosa!"

Draco rolled out of the way as Hermione levitated the bookcase off of him. He was still clutching his chest when the bookcase landed beside him with a soft thud. Hermione was beside him immediately.

"Are you okay?" she asked again as he gasped for air. He nodded.

"Thank, Merlin."

***

"I still think you should go see Madam Pomfrey. "

Draco rolled his eyes at her, "For the last time, I'm fine, Granger."

"Well, my apologies for worrying about you, Malfoy."She retorted.

His attitude annoyed her immensely. Even if he was mad at her, he could at least be a _little_ grateful to her for helping him. She stood up and made to leave quickly, but was stopped when he grabbed her by the arms.

"Hey! –"

His arms encircled her waist and she could feel him burying his face on the crook of her neck. Immediately, she could feel her cheeks being flooded with warmth and her heart started to beat rapidly.

_I'm sorry._

_Wha - What?_

_I'm sorry. I heard you. Apologizing, I mean. I just… didn't know how to respond, I guess. Sorry. And thanks… for helping me. Hermione._

It was the first time he called her by her name.

***

A/N: What did you think? I'm not sure if that still qualified as light-hearted, but, oh well. Tell me what you think! Thanks! :)


	4. Chapter 4

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I wonder how you say that in different languages…

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It's such a good source of motivation for writers, your reviews, so, keep 'em coming! Not just for me, but for all the other authors of other fictions you're reading. Thanks so much! You guys rock!

*Sorry for the really, really, really long wait. Hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays as much as I did.

Happy New Year to everyone too!

*Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 4

***

_Come one, come all to_

_The Snow Flake Ball_

_25__th__ of December_

_Dance under the stars in a flurry of snow_

Hermione had approached the announcement board to see what all the fuss was about. She raised her eyebrows.

_Another ball? They sure throw a lot of parties around here._

_What's the matter, Granger? Not much of a party person?_

Hermione didn't need to turn around to know the expression on his face. In the last two weeks, she had discovered more about Draco Malfoy than all those months in Grimmauld Place combined. She discovered that he drew like an artist, and that he wasn't fond of sweets. He didn't like tea very much and preferred coffee with milk. She knew he disliked getting his shirts dirty, and that he preferred to sharpen his own quills. These were the kind of things only friends knew of each other, but his thoughts still remained a mystery to her. Out of sheer annoyance, she tried to probe his private thoughts once, and found out that they were, simply put, private. She didn't know what kind of focus he had, but she was always shut out.

_What's so interesting about my head anyway?_

Hermione grimaced inwardly. She had forgotten for a moment that _he_ had no problems reading _her _thoughts.

_I'm just curious why you are so hard to read, and I am not._

_Your transparency is a bit endearing, Granger. It adds to your charm._

_Very funny. And it's back to Granger now, is it?_

He was surprised. _I didn't think you liked it when I called you by your name._

She blushed. She hated that she blushed so easily.

_On the contrary, I like that you blush so easily._

_Stop reading my mind._

_Stop being so mentally verbal then._

She scoffed at him and walked away from him and the bulletin board. He followed her though. She could feel his presence behind her, and she was aware of every step he took. When she rounded the corner she stopped and turned around suddenly, causing him to collide with her. She braced herself for the feel of the cold stone floor on her bum, but it never came. His arm had shot forward quickly to catch her, and she was now caught in his embrace. She looked up to see him smiling at her.

"Let me go, Malfoy."

"Draco," he said simply to her, pulling her closer to him. She struggled fruitlessly in his arms. For his slim stature, Draco was pretty strong. Stronger than herself anyway. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"What?"

"It's a bit formal to call your date by his last name don't you think? We _have _known each other for years now. _Hermione_," his smirk was small, and positively endearing.

"Date?"

"Yes. Your date to the Snow Flake Ball, of course."

"Who is?"

"Me."

"Um… no."

"Yes."

"You are not, Malfoy. You haven't even asked me yet. And besides, Ron or Harry will take me," she announced triumphantly.

Draco tutted, an amused half smile on his face, "Harry is taking the Weasley girl, and Weasley is taking Lovegood."

"What?" Was she the last to know about the ball?

"Yes, Hermione. You were one of the last to know about the ball."

Hermione stared at him incredulously. What had she been doing that she hadn't known about the ball at all?

"You'd been absorbed in your own little world," Draco chuckled as he traced her face with his fingers. His feather-light touches sent shivers down her spine. The good kind. Against her will, she felt her body lean forward slightly against his. "Say you'll go with me, Hermione," he whispered softly in her ear, as he played with a lock of her hair.

Her name coming from his lips was like a gentle caress. "Why… would I do that?" She hated how her voice sounded; throaty and low. She felt him smile against her ear, "Because we can read each other's minds. I don't think I'd want to know what goes through your mind when another bloke touches you." There was an edge to his voice then, but it was gone so quickly, she couldn't be certain it was there in the first place. "Say you'll go with me."

With his body in such close proximity to hers, it didn't take her too long to decide. "Yes." Again, she hated how her voice sounded.

"Perfect." He was smiling as he let her go. Hermione was rooted to her spot, and didn't move as he picked up his bag which had fallen to the floor and started to walk away from her.

_I like that voice on you. Very sexy._

Hermione wished once again, as she felt her face flush that the ground would open up and swallow her. The ghost of Draco Malfoy's laughter stayed with her even after he disappeared from her sight.

***

Hermione patted down the front of her ball gown in nervous anticipation. Around her, the excited voices of Hogwarts' students filled the air. It was the biggest event of the school year, and everyone was invited to partake in it, unlike the former Yule Ball which was restricted for the upper years only. The chatter of a giggling group of fifth years not far away from her called Hermione's attention.

"Oh, Merlin, that boy is gorgeous…"

"… what I would give to feel that hair…"

"… so hot…"

"… Malfoy…"

She looked towards the direction they were facing and caught sight of him. Draco Malfoy was walking towards her, a small smile hovering about his lips. He looked beautiful to her. Not the kind of sad beauty that she had seen in him in the days during the war, but the kind that made her think of sunshine and the refreshing cool summer breeze. His smile widened ever so slightly when he stopped in front of her and took her hand.

"You looked so beautiful from far away. Now that I'm in front of you, you just take my breath away," Draco said softly to her as he raised her hand to his lips. Hermione's cheeks tingled from her blush and closed her eyes to compose herself.

_You really like messing with my head, don't you, Malfoy?_

_Usually. But not tonight. And it's Draco, remember?_

***

"Here."

Hermione looked up from her seat to see Draco holding out a glass of Butterbeer towards her. "Thanks." She sipped at her drink gratefully, all the dancing and the number of students in the Great Hall coming together made the place very warm; Hermione was flushed and there were drops of sweat beading her brow. She looked up when she heard him chuckle. "What?"

He shook his head in amusement, "I must say, Hermione, pink is very becoming on you." She rolled her eyes, "Oh shut it." He chuckled again. The night went by surprisingly well, something she never expected. Draco was a pleasant partner, and the night was filled with good conversation and playful banter.

"Why don't we go outside? You look like you need a bit of fresh air," Draco suggested, offering her his hand.

"That sounds like a good idea."

The grounds were lit by thousands of fairy lights that twinkled in the trees, rather like Christmas lights to Muggles. Except that Christmas lights didn't fly all over and hum. Hermione sat herself on one of the benches and started to fan her face with her hand. The cool night breeze was refreshing, and Hermione closed her eyes to savor the cool wind on her feverish skin. She felt rather than saw Draco sit beside her.

"You know, you never did answer me," he said, in a voice so low she might have missed it. "Why do you stare at me?"

She stopped fanning herself abruptly and was about to retort when he spoke again. "Seriously this time. I just… really want to know."

She sighed and looked up at the night sky. She was still going to think it, so she might as well say it out loud. "I'm not sure. I stare at you because you seem so surreal to me… I want to figure you out, but I can't. Even after we took that potion that enabled us to read each other's thoughts, I still don't… I still don't get you."

"Why bother at all?" His voice was almost a whisper; sad.

"I don't know," Hermione replied truthfully, "I don't know why I'm so fascinated by you. Maybe because you're different now… maybe not. I guess…"

"You guess what?"

Grey met chocolate brown.

"I guess I want to know what's behind the walls you've erected so high around yourself."

The shock in his eyes was subtle, but it was there. She could feel it pulsating from him like ripples in a calm lake. He threw back his head in silent laughter, "It figures that you'd be the one who would see that."

Her gaze was serious, but her eyes were soft as she replied, "Do you mind that I do?"

"I wouldn't mind so much if it's you."

***

A/N: So what do you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thanks to everybody who reviewed the last chapter. I'm glad that you guys like it so far, everything is still very murky in my head. School's been really busy, so sorry about not updating quickly like I used to with my other story, Necessity.

Here's another one. Hope you like this. Enjoy! :)

***

Chapter 5

***

"Hey."

Hermione looked up from her book and smiled, "Hey back." Draco grinned at her and looked around. It was a sunny weekend at Hogwarts. Most of the students have decided to make the most of the sunshine and the vast grounds were dotted by people in small groups studying, playing or doing a little bit of sunbathing. He had spotted her easily, and as her thoughts hinted was reading a book. She sat alone under the big willow that was nearest the Great Lake. He glanced around, "Where are Potter and Weasley today?"

She shrugged, "Last I saw them they were in Harry's room playing wizard chess. They did have plans to go flying later this afternoon though. They were planning on asking you to go too."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving the page. Draco looked on as she turned another page. "Mind if I sit with you?" She didn't answer, but simply patted the patch of grass next to her. He folded his body gracefully as he sank into a sitting position beside her. He took out his sketchbook from his bag and started to sketch the castle. They sat in comfortable silence; she reading, him sketching. The only sounds that came from them were the rustling of a page being turned and the constant scratching of a pencil against the parchment. He paused and looked at his drawing and noticed that she had put down her book and was looking over his shoulder.

"What do you think?"

"It's amazing. I can't draw a recognizable cat myself, so I really am in awe with people who have real talent," she said as she ran a finger across the page.

"Mother made me take lessons after she saw that I had doodled all over my books in first year."

Hermione saw the small sad smile on his face as he mentioned his mother. "Did you ever consider a career as an artist?"

Draco chuckled, "I did once. But then I don't like the idea of creating something because I have to. Drawing is just something I like to do for fun."

She was smiling when she looked at him. Her eyes were twinkling happily and he was a bit taken aback. "What?"

She shook her head good-naturedly, "Nothing. I guess I have just come to realize that there is still so much I don't know about you. You fascinate me."

Draco felt his face flush and he looked back at his sketch and picked up his pencil once more. He heard Hermione giggle, "Are you blushing?"

"No."

Another moment of silence.

"Draco?"

"Yeah?"

She looked at him, hesitant to ask.

_Spit it out, Hermione._

"That… I mean… You telling me about your mum. Was that… you trying to take down your walls?"

His hands froze and she saw his back suddenly turning stiff.

"Sorry! I mean…"

He chuckled and turned to look at her, "How is it that you can see through me so easily?"

Her eyes widened at what he said and she felt her face flush. She found that she couldn't stand looking at his eyes and she looked down at her hands.

"I wouldn't call it taking down though. More of like… taking it apart. Brick by brick," He looked at her seriously for a moment and his question came out so softly, Hermione strained to hear it, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. Although… why me? Why not Harry? Or Ron?"

Draco paused to think about it, rolling his pencil between his fingers. His expression was thoughtful as he pondered. "Well… you already understand me in some level. Why can't it be you? Besides, I could picture Potter and Weasley's expressions when I try to open up to them," he chuckled.

Hermione laughed with him, "I know what you mean." She reached out and placed her hand above his.

_Thank you. For choosing me._

He answered her with a smile.

***

Draco glanced at his watch for what must have been the twentieth time in the last ten minutes.

9:45 am.

He and Hermione were meeting at ten to have tea. She had asked him the week before if he didn't mind accompanying her on the next Hogsmeade weekend. Shopping and running errands she had said. _"And we could work on the taking apart over tea. If you want."_ Draco smiled at his recollection. It still puzzled him why a girl like Hermione would even want to know the real him, the spawn of evil himself. He chuckled to himself; Harry and Ron had coined that nickname for him during their stay at Grimmauld Place. At first it was meant as an insult, but as the camaraderie between the boys grew, it faded into a joke. Something they called him when they wanted to be teasing.

"Hi. Waited long?"

Draco snapped out of his reverie and looked behind him. Hermione was smiling at him, her curly hair tied in a ponytail. Her smile was infectious, "Not really."

"Shall we go then?"

He let her lead the way.

***

"So what's your favorite color?"

Draco looked at her over his teacup. She was looking so intently at him, as if she was asking him life-changing questions.

"What?"

She grinned, "I was thinking we should start with the basics. Right?"

"That makes sense. I suppose."

Hermione grinned and reached for the plate of scones in the middle of the table. After spending the morning shopping and browsing through the rest of the shops, they had ducked in one of the cafes for lunch and tea.

"So?"

"Green." He laughed when she raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. "It's not because it's Slytherin's color. Green reminds me of trees and wide open spaces. That's why I like it."

"Ok then. Next. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

Draco choked on his tea, "I don't think I want to tell you that."

"Oh, come on. Why not?"

"Next."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, "No way. Not until you tell me."

"You look like a five year old when you do that."

"You're stalling. It's not working."

Draco sighed. Apparently, giving up was not part of Hermione Granger's vocabulary. He figured as much.

"I wanted to be a musician."

Hermione smiled, "Really? What do you play?"

"Piano. And violin."

"That's amazing. You really can do everything can't you?"

"Not everything, I'm sure."

Hermione laughed, "I shall treasure the moment when I met the 'humble Draco' forever." Draco laughed heartily with her.

_It's good hearing you laugh without inhibitions._

Draco looked at her and smiled at her thought. He secretly agreed. It had been a long time since he had laughed, and he had laughed so much that afternoon. He silently thanked the heavens that Hermione couldn't hear his thoughts. Occlumency was handy after all. Otherwise Hermione would be privy to how much his sappiness levels have gone up lately; usually when he was in her company.

"So now that you are very nearly all grown up, what do you want to be?"

Draco looked down at his cup of tea to think. Hermione could see something raging behind his eyes; uncertainty and sorrow.

"I don't really know. Sometimes I still wonder why I'm here… sometimes it feels like… I should be somewhere else…"

Draco was surprised to feel sadness emanating through the girl sitting opposite him as she said, "Why should you be anywhere else but here?"

He smiled softly at her, "I just feel so out of sorts still. There's still so much that I need to work on…"

"Like what?"

"Like finding a reason to continue living… because right now I don't really feel like I'm alive. It feels like I just am… existing, but with no direction… no future."

Hermione placed a hand above his and looked him in the eyes. It felt like a current ran through their fingertips as they touched. They both tried their best to ignore it. Ignoring it was best; this was uncharted territory.

"I know you'll find it soon… maybe if you stick around, we'll find it together. Something to live for."

***

A/N: I know! It took a really really long time, and I'm really really sorry. But, I would love to know what you think! thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Something to Live for

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews everyone! Sorry for the very very _very_ long wait. Graduation time is on the horizon, so all of us are scrambling about meeting deadlines and requirements.

Anyway, I hope you like this one. It's a bit longer than my usual chapters to make up for the long time. :)

***

Chapter 6

***

Hermione tried in vain to concentrate on the open book in front of her; trying her best to absorb the bits of wisdom laced within the large amount of text that lay in front of her. Instead, her head was filled with conversations, facial expressions and hidden thoughts. She sighed and dropped her head on the table.

_This is hopeless. I'm never going to get any work done._

The library was silent, almost empty. It was already getting late, and the usual study crowd had already left for bed. Being a student of the Advanced Class, Hermione was free to stay as long as she liked in the library. However, it seemed that this advantage, on her part, was completely useless. She and Draco had spent many nights in the library, studying together. Wherever she looked, she would remember him and the many things that were shared between them. It was very distracting.

"Staying up late again?"

Hermione's ink pot fell to the floor when she jumped upon hearing his voice. Draco chuckled as he leaned against the table where she was working.

Hermione glared at him, "Don't do that! You scared the hell out of me…"

Draco chuckled again and grabbed her books and her bag. Hermione stared at him, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting you to bed."

"But I haven't finished yet!" Hermione argued, trying to take her books back away from him. Draco raised them over his head, and out of her reach.

He touched her nose, "Hermione, you've been up for four nights straight now. I don't think it's very good for your health. Besides, you said so yourself that you're not going to get any work done tonight."

Hermione flushed pink and stopped reaching for her books to cross her arms and glare at him. She couldn't think of any reply to that. Draco smiled triumphantly and she sighed in defeat.

_Fine._

His grin grew wider. _Good. I knew you'd see things my way._

She scowled at him and took her book bag which he was offering her. It was unusually light; he had taken it upon himself to carry her heavy books. The walk towards their dormitories was mostly silent, except for the sound of their footsteps against the stone floors. The halls were empty, it was almost midnight. When they arrived in front of Hermione's room, she held her hand out for her books.

"Thanks for carrying them for me."

His grin was slow, and lopsided, "No problem."

She hugged the books to her chest and looked down at her shoes. She couldn't quite understand it, but the mood was awkward, unlike the usual camaraderie they had. Something had changed, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Her eyes traveled to his face and as she did, she saw him slowly close the gap between them. He was so close she could feel the warmth of his body; her breath caught in her throat as he ducked and kissed her on the cheek. When he stepped away, he was still grinning.

_She_ stood frozen on the spot, her heart beating rapidly. She seemed to have stopped thinking; she could hear nothing but her racing heart, feel nothing but the warmth of his lips left on her cheek. She started when Draco cupped her cheek and chuckled.

_Good night, Hermione._

***

"Hey, Hermione."

Hermione jumped in her seat and spilled her pumpkin juice all over the table. Ron looked warily at her and raised an eyebrow in inquiry at Harry who sat opposite her. Harry shrugged, "She's been that way all morning."

"Are you ok, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up from feverishly trying to wipe pumpkin juice away from her textbook, "What? Oh. Yes, of course I'm fine Ronald."

Ron and Harry exchanged another look before Ron took the seat beside Hermione and reached for some toast. Conversation ceased for a while as they ate.

"Hey."

Harry and Ron both greeted Draco Malfoy with a wave due to their full mouths. Hermione stiffened in her chair. She fidgeted slightly in her seat as Draco sat down beside her.

"Good morning, Hermione."

Hermione mumbled a reply, took a piece of toast and hurriedly left the Great Hall, mumbling some more about going to the library to return a book. Three pairs of eyes watched her as she left.

"If Hermione rushing off to the library wasn't such an unusual thing, I'd think she's finally lost it."

Draco chuckled as he poured pumpkin juice into his goblet. Harry turned to look at him.

"You know something, don't you?"

"I might."

Harry looked intently at Draco, then exchanged a look with Ron before shrugging and focusing back on his breakfast. He would find out eventually. He always did.

***

"So, can you tell me why you're avoiding me?"

Hermione shrieked and fell out of her couch. Draco's laugh echoed around her room. She quickly stood up from her position on the floor and brushed away the hair that covered her face.

"What are you – how did you even get in here?"

Draco shrugged noncommittally and sat down on one end of the couch and picked up the book she had been reading from the floor. "I picked your password out of your head."

Hermione gritted her teeth in frustration, "How convenient for you."

"Yes. Quite," Draco replied as he browsed through the pages of the book. "Is this any good?" He asked her casually. Hermione huffed and snatched the book away from him. "What are you doing here?"

Draco leaned back against cushions and looked back up at her, "Just hanging out. Can't I do that here anymore?"

Hermione sighed, "Draco –"

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

Hermione flushed and stammered, "I – I have not!"

Draco looked at her, his arms crossed above his chest. When she didn't reply, he sighed and stood up to face her. Hermione involuntarily took a step back. Draco noticed this and stopped moving towards her. His voice was soft when he spoke next, "I'm not going to hurt you, Hermione."

"I know that!"

"Then why are you moving away from me?"

"I just… I… I don't know!" She cried in exasperation. Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't know?" Hermione wrapped her arms around her middle and shook her head. There was a long moment of silence. They just stood there, two feet apart, in the middle of her room, without saying anything. Then he moved.

"What are you –"

_Trust me._

Draco slowly walked toward her, and stopped when he was right in front of her. "What's wrong, Hermione? Won't you tell me?"

"I really… don't know. This is just… uncomfortable somehow…"

His hands were on her shoulders, and he was again, much too close. Her heart was beating quickly, and she couldn't stop the shivers that traveled all over her body from where his skin touched hers. Hermione didn't know how to explain it; what she felt. When she looked up, she met his silvery eyes and she suddenly felt overly shy and averted her gaze. She didn't know why, but all of a sudden, she couldn't look into his eyes. She couldn't stand it.

_Hermione, I –_

She listened expectantly for his mental voice to fill her head, but there was nothing that followed. She glanced at him, "What?"

Draco's eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at her. "I can't… hear you anymore…"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and she focused on trying to hear Draco's thoughts. There was nothing. "Me neither."

She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt so detached from him. She felt so distant even though he was close enough for her to touch. When she looked back at him, Hermione couldn't explain the expression in Draco's face. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips, yet it did not reach his eyes.

He smiled at her, "I guess the potion finally wore off."

"Yeah…"

Hermione had sort of expected something more to happen when their link ended. She had even expected pain; like something fundamental was being ripped away from her. It felt so anti-climactic somehow. At one instant he was there in her head, and then suddenly, he just wasn't.

"Draco –"

She stepped toward him, but he held her at arm's length. He smiled softly at her and squeezed her arms tenderly, "We're still friends, right?"

"Of course," she answered automatically, "This doesn't change that."

Draco suddenly pulled her towards his and wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug. Hermione was taken aback at first, but slowly, she melted into his embrace. His arms were strong and warm around her, and she felt safe being there.

"Thank you, Hermione," he whispered.

She felt a stray tear graze her cheek as she wrapped her arms around him in reply.

***

A/N: What did you guys think? Not my best, but I'll try to do better on the next one. I'm trying to pace this one so it doesn't drag too much, but tell me if you think it's going too fast. The gap between each encounter is a few weeks or days in some. Please review! I'd love to hear from you guys.


	7. Chapter 7

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

***

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Please do review guys, I like knowing how you think and you can give me suggestions if you wish. Getting few reviews is a bit disheartening for a writer. Feedback is always, ALWAYS welcome.

Here's the next one. Hope you like it.

***

Chapter 7

***

Hermione opened her eyes and came face to face with Draco's smiling face. She got up quickly and brushed her hair off of her face. Draco chuckled at her and occupied the space beside her. Hermione had fallen asleep on her couch; she had been nursing a headache the whole morning and had decided to have a quick nap before dinnertime.

"Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded. The blush still had not faded from her cheeks. Draco pulled the tray of food on the coffee table and placed it on the couch, between them.

"What's this?"

"You missed dinner. Harry and Weasley got worried and ordered me to get some food to you."

Hermione looked at the food on the tray and back at Draco. He was blaming the boys, but she had a feeling that fetching food for her was _his_ idea. It made her feel giddy. And stupid for feeling giddy.

"I'm… I'm not really hungry…" she muttered.

Draco looked up from taking the covers off the plates and raised an eyebrow at her. "You hardly ate lunch, Hermione. You need to eat."

When she didn't reply, he scowled at her. "I'll spoon feed you if I have to," he threatened. She glared back at him, "I just don't want an audience while I eat, ok?"

"I see you eat all the time."

"Not when it's just us."

He blinked and then chuckled, "All right. I'll stay over there and read while you eat." He patted her head as he stood up and sat on the carpet, on the opposite side of the coffee table, in front of the fire. He reached for one of Hermione's books piled on the floor. Despite her hunger, Hermione found herself staring at the back of his head instead of eating.

"I don't hear the clinking of utensils."

Hermione glared at the back of his head, picked up a fork and speared the roast beef on her plate viciously in annoyance. But she did eat.

***

Hermione Vanished her tray of food to the kitchens and took a sip of her hot chocolate. Draco hadn't said a word as she ate, and was still reading in front of the fireplace. After some deliberation, she walked over to him and wordlessly, sat beside him. He smiled at her as she read over his shoulder. They were silent, but it was comforting. She liked that part about him. How he didn't feel every moment should be filled with chatter.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for bringing me food."

He put down the book he was reading and smiled softly at her, "You're welcome. Isn't that what friends do for each other?"

She nodded and smiled back at him, but her heart sank a bit at the word _friends_. She found that he was looking at her, and she averted her gaze. Lately, she discovered that she couldn't look into those grey eyes for very long. She didn't know why.

"Why is it that you still can't look me in the eye?" His voice was good natured, but Hermione could sense a kind of exasperation and sadness beneath them.

"I don't know, actually," she twiddled her thumbs, "Do you hate me now?"

Draco chuckled and lifted her chin and stared into her eyes. She started to avert her gaze again, but Draco stopped her. Brown met grey. He smiled.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No... I guess not…"

Looking into his eyes, Hermione finally realized why she stopped herself every time she started looking too deeply into them. It was because the feelings of love she held for him would gush out of her, and she wouldn't be able to control them. Just like how she couldn't control herself from leaning closer to him, closing the small gap between them, and gently brushing her lips against his.

He responded by cupping her face with his hands and pulling her flush against him. Hermione felt her heart begin to race and a pleasant feeling enveloped her, and then he slowly pulled away. She felt dazed and breathless. He looked like he was in pain.

"Draco…"

He smiled, shook his head, stood up and wordlessly left her quarters.

The shock didn't fade until five minutes after.

Another five minutes and Hermione was curled in front of the fireplace, her head on her knees, crying.

***

A/N: Was that mean of me? Haha! Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Unlike J.K. Rowling, I'm not a genius.

***

A/N: I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE LONG TIME BETWEEN UPDATES!!! I've been so busy accomplishing my requirements for graduation that I haven't found the time to write at all. But, I've really got my wits about this time, so updates will be coming more quickly! Again, so sorry!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I know, that was a bit mean, but you'll see where I'm going with it. Hopefully.

dobbydarling: I guess she cried because of rejection…

Here the next one. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 8

***

"Hermione."

Hermione opened her eyes when she heard her name being called. Harry stood beside the big tree she was leaning against. She hadn't been sleeping very well lately, and the warm weather outside was inviting. The school had become too noisy; she couldn't even hear herself think. It was in her solitude outside where she found rest, and she fell asleep.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Harry said as he sat beside her. "Are you alright? You seem to be kind of down lately."

Hermione smiled. Harry had always been the observant one. It was kind of strange, but it seemed that he always knew things.

"I've just had… a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Like Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione stared at him in surprise. Harry was smiling softly at her, his green eyes twinkling. He chuckled when he saw her expression, "I knew something was going on there."

"How? How do you know?"

He laughed heartily, "Hermione, just because you don't tell me things doesn't mean I can't see." He patted her knee in a very brotherly manner, "You want to tell me about it?"

Hermione sighed and leaned against the tree trunk, "There's nothing much to tell, really."

"I can be the judge of that."

So Hermione poured out her heart to Harry, how it felt like to share Draco's mind; no matter how one sided it was. How she learned things about him she never would have known if they weren't linked so intimately. How her feelings started to grow for the once cold little boy they knew.

"… I didn't know exactly how I felt until that moment. And when I realized what I was feeling, I had to go and do the stupidest thing."

Harry grinned at her, "You kissed him?"

Hermione looked incredulously at him, "Harry Potter, how did you know that?"

Harry laughed at the indignant expression on his best friend's face, "When it comes to you, Hermione, things aren't that hard to guess. I just know you too well."

Hermione stared at her friend for a while, then shrugged, sighed and leaned back against the tree trunk. "Oh, well. I guess it doesn't really matter now."

"Why not?"

"Because he probably hates me."

"You can't know that, Hermione."

"He hasn't talked to me in two weeks, he suddenly disappears from the room when I'm around… I think I get the hint, Harry."

***

Harry was walking back towards the castle when he saw him. His pale head stood out in the shadows of the courtyard's corner where he decided to sit. He had an open book in front of him, but his gaze was somewhere far away.

"Hey, Malfoy!"

Draco looked towards the voice that called him and sighed. "Yes, Potter? What can I do for you on this fine day?"

Harry approached him and said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

***

"So?"

"So what, Potter?" Draco snapped at him as he sat on one of the chairs in front of Harry's fireplace. Harry took no offense and simply raised an eyebrow at him. He contemplated the very annoyed, and very angsty lad in front of him.

"You like her too, don't you?"

Draco glared at him, "Of course I do, Potter. Why else do you think I'm acting like this?"

The tall blond stood up abruptly from his chair and walked toward the large window. Harry remained at his seat and let the silence stretch a while. Draco would tell him in time. Harry suspected that there was something holding Draco back; but he just didn't know what.

"Why _are_ you acting like this? I don't get it, Hermione doesn't get it… the only one who understands is you, and that's not helping."

"Nobody understands."

"Really?"

Draco turned to glare at him, "What is _that_ supposed to mean? You _don't _know me, Potter. We may be friends, but you don't know me."

"That's because you don't give anyone a chance to!"

Draco glared at him silently and turned back towards the window again. They were silent again for a while before Harry spoke up again. "What are you so afraid of, Draco?"

"It's not fear."

"What is it then?"

"I think I love her, Harry."

Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Harry couldn't help but chuckle, "That's great."

"No it isn't."

Draco sighed and sat on the seat opposite his dark-haired friend. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Harry who was looking at him expectantly. "Hermione deserves someone whole, Harry. Not someone like me."

"Someone like you?"

"Yes. Someone broken… I'm missing so many parts of myself I don't know who I am exactly. I've been through so many things worse than what you have been through… but all my demons are catching up with me… I thought that after the war, I'd be ok… I thought I'd find something that would convince me that my whole life wasn't the huge mess it was…"

"You found Hermione, didn't you?"

"I did. But –"

"But what? Look, we've been through the same things, Malfoy. They may be slightly different, but the ultimately, the same. Our childhoods sucked, we had jerks for guardians, but so what? We survived."

Draco managed to crack a small smile at that.

"Hermione's one of the strongest people I know. I bet she could take on your demons."

***

A/N: Please review guys!


	9. Chapter 9

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: Simply put, I do not own Harry Potter.

***

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed my last chapter! Thank you for not killing me, and thank you for making time to read my story.

Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 9

***

"Um… hey…"

Hermione looked away briefly from the essay she was writing, saw the young man standing beside her, and looked back down on the piece of parchment on the desk.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, are you talking to me again? I didn't realize there was a schedule. You know, this week is 'Ignore Hermione Week' the next week isn't. You should post a memo next time."

Draco was slightly taken aback by her stand offish attitude, but he figured he probably deserved it. He voice out his thoughts. "Okay. I probably deserve that."

He pulled up a chair beside her on the table and sat down. He placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward to speak to her. "I'm sorry I've been ignoring you. I've just… had a lot on my mind lately."

Hermione snorted and looked at him with an icy stare, "Really? I had actually thought once that you had nothing on your mind, especially since you were so mentally mute when we shared thoughts."

"Hermione, look. I'm trying to apologize here –"

Draco jumped back suddenly when she slammed her fist on the fist on the table and glared at him. Her hands were shaking when she picked up her thing and made to leave.

"Hermione –"

"You should have apologized weeks ago. You know, back when I cared."

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the library. But no fast enough for Draco not to see the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

***

Hermione brushed the tears that had escaped her eyes as she walked quickly towards her quarters, ignoring the stares she got from the other students. She needed to be alone; alone with her thoughts. She had thought that she could act nonchalant; show that she didn't care what he did, or what he thought of her. But she did, damnit, she cared a lot.

She could hear him calling her name; hear his footsteps as he followed her. But she ignored him, squeezing her eyes shut as she turned the last corridor that would take her to her sanctuary, trying to shut his voice out of her head. But Draco's stride was longer than hers, and he caught up to her quickly, he seized her by the arm and pulled her towards his room.

"What do you want from me?"

Draco closed that door to his quarters and locked the door. It was better if they weren't interrupted. Hermione's eyes narrowed when she heard the click of the lock. "You can't keep me in here."

"Hermione, I just want to talk. That's it."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you!"

Draco dodged the book that she had attempted to throw at his head. It thudded heavily against the wooden door before falling with another heavy thud on the stone floor.

"Alright, then I'll talk. You listen."

Seeing as how he was blocking the door, there was no way of escaping unless she hexed him. And although it seemed really tempting, she didn't want to hex him. She huffed and sat on the arm rest of a nearby chair and crossed her arms above her chest.

Draco sighed. At least she would listen. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to get his thoughts into order.

"Like I said earlier, I'm really sorry about the last few weeks. I know having a lot on my mind is a pathetic excuse for what I did, but I can't change things anymore. I'm sorry, Hermione. I really am."

When she didn't speak, he took it as a sign to keep on talking.

"My whole life is a big mess. It always was. I grew up at the Manor, surrounded by the Dark Arts, having no company of kids my age, and needing affection. You see, I never really felt that I was wanted… I felt like I existed simply because they needed someone to carry on our line."

Draco walked towards the couch and sat, staring at the fire for a moment before speaking.

"I wanted my parents to be proud of me, so I blindly followed whatever they taught me; whatever my father said… after the war… when my name had been cleared and the Manor was burned down… I had thought… I had thought for a while, that maybe I now had a chance to start again… that I was given a clean slate. But as the days went by… I felt empty. When the sun rose every morning, I felt emptier than I did the day before. I was alive, but I wasn't really living… I was drifting through the days with no direction and no purpose… and then I met you."

She looked at him, and he smiled.

"I don't know what you did, but somehow… you made me realize that maybe my life wasn't a tragedy… that maybe I could find something that would make everything make sense… "

"Did you find it?"

Draco smiled softly at her, "I thought I did… but my past is still catching up with me… my personal demons still can't be vanquished… that's why I've been so distant… I don't think you deserve to be dragged into my nightmare of a life… I don't' think being friends with someone like me would be healthy for you."

When he glanced at her, she was looking at him furiously. It wasn't exactly the reaction he had expected.

"Who said that you can make decisions for me?"

"What?"

She stood up from where she was sitting, marched up to him and prodded him painfully in the shoulder.

"Look, Draco Malfoy. I don't know who you think you are, but you are _not_ the boss of me. Didn't you ever think that I was here for you simply because I wanted to? That it didn't matter to me what kind of past you had?"

"Hermione –"

"No. This time, I talk and you listen. We've all had difficult pasts, Draco. Maybe some of us had it worse than others, but we are all survivors. If we weren't strong enough to survive those tragedies I don't think we'd even be here. We didn't get to this point in time simply because of luck. We fought hard because we wanted to _live._ And now that you are given that chance at life you're just going to let go to waste? Don't use your past as an excuse! What's important is now."

She sighed and sat on the couch beside him, "I have demons too, you know."

"How'd you get over it?"

"I haven't yet. But I'm taking it a day at a time. Sometimes that's all you can do, you know?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Draco turned to look at her. She had leaned back and closed her eyes. She looked tired, but she was still beautiful.

"So. Friends?"

Hermione opened her eyes and saw him offering his hand to her, a small smile hovering above his lips.

"Friends."

Draco let out a breath of relief. Friends. At least it was a start.

***

A/N: Please review! Let me know what you think!


	10. Chapter 10

-Something to Live For-

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

***

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Someone commented that my characters "don't sound British…" well, I'm not English… and I usually write the way I think. It doesn't come naturally to me, so I don't think I should go that route. If anybody else feels that way, my apologies. Anyway, hope you keep on reading despite that!

Hope you like this one! Enjoy!

***

Chapter 10

***

Hermione opened her eyes slowly as the final notes of Vitali's Chaconne faded away. She still had a dreamy look on her face when Draco put down his violin on the table and sat beside her.

"That… was beautiful, Draco," She gasped, as she clutched his arm. "There was so much… passion in it… it was unbelievable!"

Draco looked at her in amusement. Her eyes were so alive and her cheeks were flushed due to her emotions. He never expected that he could move her so much with his music. He had been nervous; he had been a little rusty.

"Thank you," she said to him in earnest, "It was one of the best birthday gifts I've ever gotten."

Draco ruffled her hair, "You're welcome. And it's not your birthday yet, you know. At least –" he glanced at his watch, " – not for ten minutes."

They laughed together. Although they had said that they were "friends", they both had a feeling that they were going down the road which would lead them to something more. Unfortunately, they couldn't read each others' minds anymore, so they kept what they felt to themselves, and did not jump into conclusions. However, their closeness now cannot be denied or overlooked. They treaded along that thin line between friends and lovers very carefully.

"Do you know that you've only been the second person to listen to my music?"

"Really? How come? You play so beautifully."

Draco shrugged, "Music was just something that my mother and I shared. It was one of the few things we did together when we were given the opportunity."

"Well that's a bit unfortunate. Your music is so beautiful. It's a shame that not many people have heard it."

Draco chuckled, "I don't think it's that bad. Especially since I get awful stage fright."

They shared a laugh, and then Draco stood up from his seat and opened a drawer on a nearby side table. He took out a small box wrapped in silver paper and tied with a green ribbon. He sat back down beside her and handed her the small box.

"What's this?" Hermione asked as she took it. She fingered the ribbon and couldn't help asking, "Slytherin colors?"

He laughed, "Green _is_ my favorite color, you know."

"Oh. Right. I remember," she chuckled.

"And that is your gift."

She looked at him in confusion, "Wasn't the song my gift?"

He shrugged, "It was part of it."

"Can I open it?"

"By all means," He chuckled in reply, "It is after all, yours."

Hermione unwrapped the gift carefully, trying her best to not tear the wrapping. She thought the silver was pretty, and that it would be a shame to shred it into pieces. She opened the little black velvet box slowly, and found, sitting on a cushion of pale pink silk, a beautiful platinum chain with a platinum dragon pendant encircling a small, oval cut ruby.

"Draco…"

Draco smiled and scooted closer to her. He fingered the dragon resting in the palm of her hand, "I guess this could be me by representation." Then he pointed towards the ruby in the center, "And this could be you."

He looked into her eyes as he whispered, "It kind of represents how much I want to hold you in my arms… and never let you go."

Hermione blushed at his words. She felt too embarrassed to look at him, and instead looked at the dragon resting on her palm. It was beautiful. Like him.

Draco cupped her face with his hand and lowered his head slowly towards hers. When they were no more than a breath apart, he whispered, "If I kiss you now, would you mind?"

It was a while before she answered. She couldn't seem to think. All the noise in the room seemed to have vanished, replaced with only the sound of their breaths and the pounding of her heart.

"As long as you don't run away again."

"That, I can promise." He brushed his lips against her softly, "Happy birthday, Hermione."

She felt his smile on her lips before she lost herself in his kiss.

***

A/N: Hahahaha! Review please guys! Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

Something to Live For

A/N: I know, I know, this chapter took **too **long to be posted. I was stuck in a literary rut (I actually still kind of am), so I sincerely apologize. I will be posting the rest of the story after this chapter in… well, a week would be the most that you would have to wait. Hopefully, you'd still be interested to know the rest of the story. Again, I really, truly, apologize.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I hope you like this one as well. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 11

***

Hermione tossed and turned in her bed, craving for the rest that her brain was now depriving her of. A glint of silver caught her eye and she sat up in her bed to take the trinket that was on top of her bedside table. The ruby sparkled in the faint moonlight and there was a smile on Hermione's lips as she traced the silver dragon with her finger. It was hard not to think of him when she looked at her gift. And when she thought of him, she also couldn't help thinking about their relationship. Especially since she had no idea what they were exactly.

Were they friends?

Best friends?

Or something even more?

Hermione sighed and looked outside her window. What will tomorrow bring? Hopefully, answers.

***

"So…"

Harry got up from his seat to sit on the couch beside Hermione. Ron was seated on the carpet, trying to focus on building his tower of cards. He glanced at Harry when he spoke and grinned. Hermione saw the look.

"What are you guys up to now?"

"Nothing," Ron replied quickly. Harry chuckled, "Well, we just wanted to ask you something, Hermione."

"What?"

"Well…"

"Are you dating Malfoy?" Ron blurted out. Hermione stared at him, shocked speechless all of a sudden by his question.

"Wh – what?"

"Are you dating the spawn of evil or not?"

"Ron!" Hermione admonished. Ron laughed and shrugged, "What? It's a joke. We even call him that to his face. He doesn't mind."

"Still. I don't think it's very nice of you to say that."

"Just answer the question, Hermione," Harry said with a chuckle. Hermione shrugged in reply.

"What's that mean?" Ron asked, scratching his head. He glanced at Harry, hoping to be enlightened. Harry shrugged himself.

Hermione smiled and patted Harry's knee, "I'm just taking it a day at a time. The way things are now… I'm ok with it."

***

Hermione gasped in surprise when a pair of arms enclosed her waist as she sat under the willow near the lake.

"Hey."

"Merlin, you surprised me there," Hermione admonished, ruffling up his hair. He smiled at her and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Sorry." He sat on the grass behind her, and made her sit between his legs.

They just sat there for a while together. She was reading a book she bought from home, and he was reading over her shoulder, his chin resting on the top of her head. The sunlight streamed through the leaves, and made their small space pleasantly warm. She felt him sweep her hair away from her neck and felt his lips press against her neck. She turned to look at him and brushed the hair that covered his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice shaking slightly. His grey eyes never left her face as he said those three words she had been secretly wishing he would say. "I love you and it scares me that I do."

"Why?"

"Because I know you're too good for me."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know…"

Hermione cupped his cheek tenderly and he bent down to kiss the palm of her hand.

"All I know is right now… I just want to be where you are…"

Hermione felt a tear escape from her eyes as she hugged him. It wasn't because he confessed his love to her. That wasn't entirely the reason. It was because the young man she now had enveloped in her arms had finally taken down all his walls in front of her. _For her._

"I'm scared too, Draco. So scared… but we can be scared together, right?"

His eyes were filled with uncertainty and she was pretty sure her eyes mirrored the same feelings.

"I know it'll be ok as long as I have you here… with me."

He nodded and buried his face on her shoulder.

"And Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, too."

***

A/N: Totally mushy, right? Haha! Anyway, please review guys! I really appreciate it when you review. Even though I don't reply to them individually, I do try to reply to reviews with questions when I post the next chapter. So review please! Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12

Something to Live For

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Also, thanks to everybody who placed this story on their favorites list. I appreciate it!

Wasn't able to keep my word about chapters coming in every week. It's been crazy these past weeks and I haven't had a lot of time to really think about how I want this story to end. Sorry!

Here's the next one. Hope you like it. :)

Chapter 12

Draco Malfoy straightened his tie in front of the mirror and let out a breath. Things were finally coming to an end. After seven years of being in school, it was now time to face the real world. One that was yet to settle into normalcy. He took one last look in the mirror and nodded. Everything was as it should be.

Draco walked over to his bedside drawer and took out a small velvet box. He opened it and smiled. He placed the box in his pocket and walked to the door.

_Tap, tap._

He looked back and saw a barn owl outside his window. Five minutes later, he was seated on his bed, his shoulders hunched.

It changes everything.

Hermione ran towards the big willow tree beside the Dark Lake and breathed deeply once she was underneath its cascading branches. Her education was finally finished. The rest of the world was now hers to explore. She turned when she heard him walk toward her and gave him a smile. He gave her a small smile in return. She had been wondering what could be on his mind all morning. Something seemed to be bothering him.

"Draco? Is everything ok?"

Draco started suddenly, "What?"

Hermione laughed softly, "You've been spacing out a lot this morning."

Draco walked up beside her and wrapped his arms around her small waist, "Sorry, love. I've just had some things in my head."

"Like what?"

When she didn't get a reply, she turned in his arms to face him and asked again, "Like what, Draco?"

His eyes were sad when they looked at her. He sighed and led her to the small stone bench beside the willow tree. This had been their spot, and it the irony of the situation was not lost on him. She touched his face and he leaned into her touch, hoping against all odds that it wouldn't be the last time that he would feel it.

When he looked up to meet her gaze, she was looking expectantly at him.

"I received a letter this morning. From the lawyers of my mother's companies abroad… they need to turn over the managing rights to me as soon as possible."

She listened, but still did not fully understand why it was making him react the way he was.

"I'm leaving for France the day after tomorrow…"

She hid her gasp of surprise by covering her mouth with her hand.

"… and that's only the first stop. The lawyers are estimating that it would probably take me at least three years to iron everything out since the company had branched out in so many countries."

"S-so… you'll be gone for three years?"

He nodded. He turned to her, and her expression was one of sorrow. "I really don't want to leave, Hermione. I really don't. But… this is the only thing my mother has left to me. It's the only thing I have to help me start a new life…"

Hermione closed her eyes and nodded. She took his hand in both of her own and tried her hardest to stop the tears from falling, "I understand."

Draco embraced her and buried his face in the crook if her neck. She felt his tears and she stopped fighting and let her own fall.

Hermione closed her trunk and wheeled it away into storage in the back of her closet. She went home to her parents' for the summer, and would start looking for work after the holiday was over. She sat on her bed and reached for the picture frame that sat on her nightstand. It was a picture of the four of them during their graduation. Harry and Ron were smiling brightly at the camera, laughing and waving their diplomas in the air. Draco had an arm draped lazily around her shoulders, and every once in a while he would drop a kiss on top of her head.

She smiled sadly as she thought of him. She opened a drawer and took out a small velvet box. She opened it and took out the ring inside. She ran a finger across the dark gem and remembered that day.

_He handed her a small velvet box as they were curled up together on the sofa. She put down her coffee mug on the nearby table and took the box lying on her lap._

"_What's this?"_

"_It's yours."_

_She opened the box slowly, her heart beating hard against her chest. She wondered if he could hear it. Inside was a delicate ring of silver with a square cut black tourmaline held in place by silver vines that also made up the band of the ring._

_When she looked at Draco, his eyes were downcast, and he took out another ring from his pocket. It was also made of silver and black tourmaline, but was masculine in design, the stone cut in an oval shape with a thick band. _

"_This is the mate to your ring. I had it made during the holiday," He said as he played with the ring between his thumb and his index finger. He wore it on his ring finger and took her ring out of its box and placed it on her right finger. _

"_It's black tourmaline, in case you were wondering." He knew that although Hermione was knowledgeable about many things, gems were not her strong point. "Although the color is dark, it's said to represent happiness. You rub it for good luck, and it's said to ward off dark forces and negativity."_

_He looked at her and grinned, "And it kind of represents me too. Dark and brooding."_

"_But precious," She replied, "It's beautiful, Draco. Thank you."_

_He kissed her hand and gathered her in his arms again. _

"_I was planning on giving you a different ring. But I suppose I could save that one for another occasion." He kissed her softly. "I can't promise that I would stay in touch… I don't know even until now the extent of what I have to do… but… I promise you that I'll meet you under the willow tree three years from now… and I hope that you'd be there… waiting to welcome me home…"_

A/N: Well, just two more chapters after this! Then it would be the end. Have a free week so I'm really working on this!!! Please review!!!! Thanks!!!


	13. Chapter 13

Something to Live For

Disclaimer: Simply put, I don't own Harry Potter. But don't we all wish we do.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad that there are still some who want to know the rest of this story. *laugh* Well, here's the next one. Hope you like this.

* * *

Chapter 13

* * *

Hermione sat in front of her vanity and took a good long look at the reflection looking back at her. Aside from the length of her hair, which now hung up to the middle of her back, the last three years brought more subtle changes to her face. She looked mature, yet still young. Her eyes, which were lined with dark eyeliner were still the same color of chocolate, her skin was still like cream and roses.

She wondered how much _he_ had changed.

She sighed and put on her earrings. It was no use thinking about it now. She had stood under that tree waiting for him, but the sun had set and he still had not showed up. It was with a heavy heart when she finally gave up and went home. She examined her eyes again, making sure that the tears she had shed last night when she had gotten back from Hogwarts no longer left any traces. Finding everything to be in order, she got up to leave. Harry and Ginny's engagement party was to start soon, and she didn't want to be late. She dusted off the skirt of her navy gown and spotted the open ring box on the top of her vanity. The black gem seemed to glitter under the lights. She turned and started to walk towards the door but thought again and placed the ring on her finger.

It _did_ match her dress after all.

* * *

"Hermione! There you are! I was wondering if you'd show up!"

Hermione found herself pulled into Ginny's embrace. "You look amazing. I love your dress!" Hermione laughed. Expect Ginny to make such comments, even on her special day. "Thanks, Gin."

"Hey! There you are!"

Hermione turned around to see Harry and Ron approaching them. They exchanged hugs before grabbing some champagne from a passing waiter.

"To Harry and Ginny," Hermione said, raising her glass.

"May they have children with black hair," Ron added making them all laugh, "Personally I've grown tired of all the ginger heads."

* * *

Hermione was sitting down on one of the tables when Ginny approached her.

"Hermione, come with me for a second," the small red head said to her as she was grabbed by the elbow.

"What? Wait –"

Ginny didn't listen to her protests though, and continued to drag the brunette towards the balcony. Or so it seemed to Hermione.

"Where are you taking me?"

No response.

"Ginny!"

The redhead finally turned to face her, a big smile on her face. "We're here."

"The balcony?"

"Yup!" Ginny led her further into the dark space and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Hermione, you are my best friend in the entire planet, so please do me this one favor ok?"

"Oh…kay… you're starting to scare me, Gin."

Ginny giggled, "Just promise me you'll listen, and that you'll keep your mind open."

Hermione nodded, although she was still confused about what Ginny was talking about. She looked in as the redhead moved back towards the doors of the balcony and gave her a wink. After closing the doors, she left. Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, but she was too tired to figure things out, so she sighed and threw her hands up in the air in exasperation and approached the railing. The night sky was beautiful; the stars blanketed the darkness and the moon peeked out from thick cotton-like clouds. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tipped her head back. If only her heart was as calm as the sky.

There was a part of her that wanted to curse him the next time she saw him. Cause him pain to make him feel what she was feeling right now. But she knew, that the other part of her, the bigger part, just wanted him to be here with her. All she wanted was to be with him, it didn't matter when, because she knew no matter how angry she was, if she saw him, it would all melt away into nothingness.

"Hey, stranger."

She knew that voice. She willed herself to turn and she saw him. He was standing half hidden in shadow, his hair seemingly sucking all the light there was in the small space. His grin was lopsided, like she remembered. Aside from the maturity now etched in his face, three years had been nothing but good to him. He was taller than she remembered, but his body still had the lean figure she remembered.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she whispered his name.

"Draco…"

* * *

He looked calm and so together, but Draco's heart was beating so hard against his chest. Was it worry? Apprehension? Nervousness? Or maybe it was simply his heart about to burst with joy because he saw her again.

"Wha – what are you doing here?" she asked. He took in her look of surprise and was slightly relieved. At least it wasn't the anger that he expected.

"Harry invited me."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence that followed. He didn't know how to start… how to explain… he was still drinking it in… her image… that she was actually standing right _there_; just three feet away from him. She looked different; older. But she was still beautiful to him. Even more so now. Time had been kind to her.

"Hermione –"

"You weren't there."

Her statement made him stop in his tracks as he was about to approach her. "What?"

"You weren't there," she said simply. "Why?"

"Would you let me explain?"

She nodded yes.

"I tried my best to get there on time, Hermione. I really tried. But there was suddenly this crisis in the Australian office and they had to wait to Floo just when I was about to leave and –"

"You were in Australia?"

"Yes."

"For work?"

"Yes. And like I said, there was a crisis and –" He stopped abruptly when he felt her hand on his arm.

"Draco?"

He gulped nervously, "Yes?"

The silence stretched for a whole minute, and Draco looked nervously at her, not knowing what was going on in her mind, not knowing what she felt. He suddenly wished they were still empathically linked with that potion that started all of this. He was surprised when she suddenly smiled. What in the bloody world was going on?

"Stop talking and kiss me," she grinned up at him cheekily.

Draco let out a breath he did not realize he was holding and wrapped his arms around her small waist.

"As you wish, love."

When his lips met hers, to say that he was happy would be an understatement. He did feel happiness at that moment, but a realization had struck him that overshadowed his joy.

He felt that his life was finally making sense now that she was in his arms.

He was home.

* * *

A/N: Well, what did you think? Review please! It would be much appreciated!


	14. Epilogue

Something to Life For

Disclaimer: I'm sure that there are millions of ways to say this creatively, but simply put, I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you very much for the reviews! Also, I would like to express my gratitude to all the readers who have placed this story on their favorites list. Thank you very much. Well, this is the end to this story. And it might be a while before I could think of another story to write, but I do hope you watch out for it!

Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

_I was a boy born out of obligation and a false sense of honor rather than love. I was raised like a prince, was taught the manners expected of nobility, and trained to feel nothing._

_Since I was a child, I was taught that I represented the ideal; that all others who could not measure up to the image I upheld were lesser beings, and therefore were not worthy of the respect that was given to me and my kind._

_I was made to believe that the right to magic only belonged to those who shared the same kind of heritage that I did. Pureblood. I was made to believe that since it was my ancestors who fought for this right and for the world in which I exist, magic was MY birthright, and was not to be bestowed upon anyone else. Perhaps it was extended to the half-bloods, but never to those whose ancestry was completely void of the pillars of magical society._

_Muggle borns. _

_They had their own world. A world that was theirs because it is one that their ancestors fought for and built from the ground up. So what right did they have to cross that rift between our worlds and be given magic, when they have done nothing to make them worthy of being given the Gift? _

_Years of whispering these thoughts to a young mind makes it stick. But once I entered the halls of Hogwarts, everything changed. The beliefs and ideals that I once held on to so steadfastly started to crumble before my very eyes._

_Why were these other students, whose blood was considered tainted and filthy, so easily accepted when I had to gain the approval of my own Father every single day? _

_Why did I, despite my blood status and my wealth feel empty?_

_Why did I, the ideal child, feel so unhappy?_

_Every day in school, I would be witness to something that slowly made me question the beliefs that were hammered into my head since I was a child. _

_I was stupid._

_Because despite the doubt already forming in my mind, I was still too much of a coward to consider the truth. It was, I suppose, because I knew no other way, other than the way I was brought up. It took a war to finally open my eyes that it didn't matter where you come from and who you are._

_The only thing that mattered was where you were going, and what you do with who you found yourself to be. _

_After the war, when I had lost almost everything, I was numb. I was alive, but I did not live. I got through each day like it was a chore. There was nothing to make my heart move. Nothing to live for._

_And then she came into my life. She was like a fresh ray of sunlight; a refreshing summer breeze. It was not at all difficult to fall in love with her. The short time that we were given together was blissful. I found myself waking up every morning with a sense of purpose. Being with her made me feel whole again. But in my life, good things never seem to last._

_Leaving her was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my life. But I knew it was something I had to do. This was something my mother had left me; it was a clean slate. Somewhere I could start again from scratch. But I had other plans as well. This could be the stepping stone of what I wanted for the future. My future with her. _

_Despite my sudden maturity, I was still childish in some ways. I was still selfish. I selfishly asked her to wait for me. That was the only thought that kept me going during those three long years away from her. That when I returned she would still be there for me. It made the days go by faster for me. I counted the days until I could see her again and hold her in my arms._

_Seeing her after such a long time was intoxicating. Hearing her voice pulled me towards her like a Siren's song. And having her step into my arms and forgive me for my tardiness was like coming home._

_She is many things._

_When I have a problem and I need someone to talk to, she is my best friend. When my demons wake me up at night and she wraps her arms around me, she is my angel. When she responds to my caresses and loves me with her body, she is my lover. And when she vowed to stay with me in sickness and in health, till death do us part, she became my wife._

_She is my happiness, my everything. She taught me how to live again, and she taught me how to love. And she helped me find that something that would give purpose to my life. With her, and in her, I found something to live for._

_Hermione Granger._

_Or rather, Hermione Malfoy._

_

* * *

_

Draco looked up from reading the newspaper as the scent of jasmine permeated the room. From his vantage point from the large bed in the middle of the master's suite, he saw his wife come out of the bathroom after finishing her nightly shower. She smiled at him as she dried her hair with a charm. Draco folded up his newspaper and placed it on the night stand as his wife turned down the sheets in her side of the bed and slid beside him. He planted a kiss on her forehead and breathed in her scent.

"I never got to ask you earlier, but how was work today?" she asked.

"Same old things. The excitement from the merger has finally died down. How was your day at St. Mungo's?"

Hermione was one of the most renowned Healers in the institution. After giving it some thought, she had decided to take the path of being a Healer that a Professor at Hogwarts. Although Minerva McGonagall was disappointed at losing such a talented prospect, she nonetheless conceded that Hermione's talents would not go to waste as she helped Magical society regain their noses, ears and various other appendages from potions, charms and curses gone wrong.

"Busy. I was in the emergency ward almost all afternoon."

Draco looked down at her concerned, "Have you been feeling better? You get such bouts of dizziness and nausea these days. You shouldn't overdo things, love."

Hermione sat up and grinned at him. She looked a bit hesitant, but Draco could see the excitement behind her eyes as well.

"You know that look of yours has suddenly got me nervous, love. What is it?"

"Well… remember how you always complain that the house _you_ bought was _in fact_ a bit too big for just the two of us?"

"Yes."

"And do you remember how you said it was too quiet?"

Draco nodded his head slowly. He couldn't see where his wife was going with this line of questioning. Was there a wrong or right answer? "Yes."

"Well… would you mind the pitter-patter of little feet around the house?"

Pitter-patter of little feet? What in the world was his wife talking abou --- oh, Merlin.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying, love?"

Hermione smiled at him, "I'm pregnant, Draco."

His eyes flew open in shock, "I-I'm going to be a father?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. She bit her lip nervously. But her worries disappeared when he saw the huge grin that made its way into his lips.

"When? When do I get to hold my child in my arms?"

"In about seven months."

"Merlin! I'm going to be a father!"

This time, Hermione laughed, "Yes, Draco. You are."

He suddenly jumped out of bed and started pacing in front of her, "We'll need to set up the nursery, and buy a crib… and get you the finest Healer for your pre-natal appointments…"

Hermione laughed and pulled her husband back to bed with her, "Relax, Draco. We still have a lot of time."

He grinned back at her, "Oh, love. You don't know how happy I am at this moment." He kissed his wife soundly, "Thank you."

Hermione smiled and snuggled up to him, "I love you."

"I love you too. Always."

_The End_

A/N: And that is the end of Something to Live For. Thank you to everyone who supported this fic. All of your reviews were very much appreciated.

Please review this story for the last time. *laugh* See you again soon. Keep writing and keep reading!

Xoxo

- Reese-36


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